Two Ends Become One
by xGoodnightAndGo
Summary: When two possible enemies meet, both nearing their ends, their stories become one. Rated for some language.


Two Ends Become One by Alex Manganiello  
  
Disclaimer: Do we have to put these anymore? I'm not sure. Anyway, I don't own Aliens or Predator, but I just like writing about them. Get it? Good.  
  
Private David Roy Hall sat pressed against the wall, cursing himself. He wondered if he could've done more, maybe if he'd acted faster, more lives could've been spared. But he sighed, knowing either way; the end would be the same.  
  
He looked at the rifle he had in his hands and cursed it too. Suddenly angry, Dave thrusted the weapon away from him, knowing it would help him no more. It echoed down the long, narrow hall and Dave wondered if that had been a good idea. The rifle couldn't advise him, it offered no counsel... it was made to kill, and kill it shall. Not for Dave, though, not anymore at least.  
  
He was going to accept his fate; Dave wasn't a superhero. He'd never had any miraculous, life-altering situations where he knew he'd be a changed man forever. Though seeing his wife slaughtered by those things and knowing he couldn't have done a thing to help her, that had hurt and that had made him realize, it just wasn't worth it anymore. Fighting only made the pain last longer. Fighting back only made you finally realize how less superior we are -- in our intelligence, and in our lifestyle. All these useless emotions beat us down in the heat of war. But he, like any other humane person, gave in to these feelings, and he wanted to be with his wife now, wherever she was.  
  
Sighing again, Dave put his head on his knees and cried. His whole life had been destroyed, all because of these aliens. All because humans were too curious for their own good.  
  
Then, the clicking started, if that was the right word to describe it. Dave knew it meant Aliens were near by, but he was no longer afraid. He sat, and he waited.  
  
***  
  
The Predator, mortally wounded, staggered down the hallway. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he wanted to see something -- to do something, before he died. Predator deaths were noble deaths, and would never be wasted.  
  
There was a loud crash and it echoed towards him. The Predator stopped, listening for anything else, but he heard nothing. This battle would be over soon, but the war would never end. Being as wounded as he was, he knew there was not much left for him to do. He just wanted one last noble act before he gave in to the darkness. They, the Predators, believe in no God, and they certainly did not believe in an afterlife. They believed in surviving for now so there could be a better day for later.  
  
Predators were very capable of emotions, but their emotions were nowhere near as complex as humans'. He wondered if existence was all just pointless. The Aliens, as far as anyone knew, had no emotions. All they did was survive, adapt, and breed. It was like a never ending nothing. If the humans hadn't interfered with the war between the Aliens and the Predators, there home wouldn't be destroyed as it is now. But they were very ignorant creatures -- most of them, anyway.  
  
Their ignorance had lost them a possible ally. The Predators had meant no harm to the humans, but when a few were sent to see if communication could be had, the humans had instantly slaughtered the Warriors. And, disgusted by this insult, from afar the Commander ordered his Stalkers to attack at once.  
  
The Predator became very aware of another just down the hall. He decided not to cloak himself, ready for whatever may happen. Though weakened, the Predator would not go down without a fight. Suicide never even crossed their minds, unlike selfish humans. He walked on.  
  
***  
  
Dave froze, holding his breath, staring down the hallway to his left. The pitter-patter of the Aliens had stopped, but he saw a tall, dark figure only feet away and coming closer. The figure looked down at the weapon and stepped over it, the outline of its head directly faced towards Dave now.  
  
It was a Predator. Though he had never seen one in battle, he'd heard many things about them. Their incredible strength and technology -- aspects that certainly helped on the battlefield. Dave wondered if this was the end. Of course, it had been the end for months now, but he couldn't help but think this was his own, personal end. He braced himself, trying not to become emotional in front of the enemy.  
  
Was he an enemy? Dave didn't know.  
  
***  
  
The Predator stopped two feet from the human, both staring at each other intently. He wondered if he should kill him. The man wasn't armed, and that was quite possibly his weapon down there, but this was a time of war, and another death only increases the odds.  
  
The human looked exhausted, as if deciding his end was near. He was also mortally wounded. The Predator's emotions stirred as he laughed, knowing they both had something in common.  
  
Realizing the human probably had no idea he was laughing, he sighed. He had his mask on, knowing that if he took it off, the human would become disgusted. The Predator sat down, now a foot away from the human and they continued to look each other over. How could a race so ignorant survive so long?  
  
***  
  
Dave relaxed now, seeing that the Predator meant no harm. He could tell he was very severely wounded, as Dave was. Maybe the Predator had come to realize his own end, too. Dave gave a hopeful smile; at least he wouldn't go down alone.  
  
***  
  
The Predator's emotions began stirring again as the human smiled. Now they both knew they meant each other no harm. Remembering that, for some reason, humans touched when being affectionate, the Predator put his hand on the human's shoulder. His smile grew wider now, showing his bright white teeth. Satisfied, the Predator took his hand away and closed his eyes.  
  
Hours had passed and nothing happened, until the pitter-patter of the Aliens began. The human got his attention and began making motions with his hands. He pointed towards the Predator, then the gun down the hall, and shrugged. Thinking for a minute, he realized he was asking if he had any weapons, for defense. The Predator hesitated then nodded. All he had left was his self-disrupt defense.  
  
He lifted his arm, opened the little mechanism near his wrist and pointed towards it. As the Alien noise grew louder, and as they came closer, the Predator pointed to the mechanism and himself several times, shrugging as well.  
  
He saw the human considering it and he nodded. Smiling behind his mask, the Predator set the timer.  
  
***  
  
Three strange symbols appeared on the little screen the Predator had toyed with. Parts of the symbols began disappearing and Dave's ignorance was gone. It was a timer, counting down until the final explosion, a Predator's last noble defense. He smiled again and sat back, more relaxed than he'd ever been in life. Listening to the Aliens' pitter-patter would normally make him cringe, but now he knew it'd soon be over, and the pain would surely end.  
  
Dave looked to his right and saw one of the larger Aliens crawling upside down on the ceiling, two others crawling along each wall. To his left it wasn't much different. Their sleek, dark bodies were smoothly and quickly coming closer. Hardly a yard away, the Alien on the ceiling dropped down, flipping in mid air. The two aliens next to him stopped. Dave briefly looked at the Predator, he was watching and occasionally checking the timer. Their eyes met briefly and Dave nodded. The Predator did the same. He made a noise and Dave laughed, quickly realizing the Predator was laughing too. Then his eyes left Dave's and were watching something.  
  
Dave turned and came face to face with an Alien. It opened its mouth and hissed. Its breath consumed him. He was ready.  
  
***  
  
The Predator hissed back at the Alien, realizing the ones on his side had stopped moving and were waiting patiently. The larger Alien walked past Dave and looked over the Predator, breathing its horrible breath. The beeping on his timer grew louder, and he knew it'd be over soon. The Alien's gaze met the timer and it screeched. Suddenly another, smaller head shot out from its open mouth and impaled the Predator through the head. His body spasmed and died. The beeper on the timer stopped.  
  
***  
  
Suddenly afraid, Dave stood up, wincing at the pain in his stomach. "You son of a bitch! You killed him, you mother-"  
  
The Alien's tail whipped out from behind him and thrusted into Dave's stomach. He coughed up blood and looked down at the Predator. His hand moved and touched Dave's. The beeping started again, louder this time. Dave calmly smiled as the Alien screamed one last time. 


End file.
